Vaporizers provide an alternative to smoking for the delivery of medicinal, therapeutic, aromatic or psychoactive materials. Generally, a vaporizer heats plant material so that the active compound is delivered as a vapor for inhalation. The vapor produced by the vaporization lacks the potentially harmful combustion byproducts that may be inhaled when the material undergoes a combustion or conduction process, i.e. the material is smoked.
Many currently available vaporizers are powered by electrical outlets or large batteries that diminish the portability of the device Vaporizers designed for portability may require butane fuel cartridges which require replacement. It may be undesirable to transport butane due to its combustible nature. Other portable vaporizers require a long period of time for the heating element to reach a temperature required to vaporize the desired active compound. Thus, there remains a need for a rechargeable portable vaporizer capable of rapid heating.
Typically, vaporizers require a large amount of power to achieve the temperature required for vaporization by conduction heating or to heat a volume of air for convection heating. The power requirements diminish the portability of the vaporizers. It would thus be desirable to have a portable vaporizer that more efficiently vaporizes organic compounds.
Additionally, there are limitations associated with inhalation-based drug delivery systems such as metered dose inhalers and dry powder inhalers. Metered dose inhalers require coordination between actuation of the device and inhalation, which is problematic for many users. Particles produced by dry particle inhalers may be too large to penetrate the lungs. Thus, there is a need for a portable vaporizer capable of delivering therapeutic compounds for inhalation.